Traders brought Central American cacao to Georgia 1,000 years ago

The municipal council of San Cacao announced Tuesday that the city will officially adopt the slogan “We built this city on good cacao” as part of a new branding campaign aimed at boosting tourism and agricultural investment. The initiative, approved after a series of public hearings, seeks to highlight the region’s long‑standing cacao cultivation heritage, which accounts for roughly 12 percent of the nation’s cocoa output and supports more than 4,000 local families. City officials will roll out signage, marketing materials, and a series of events—including a cacao‑farm open day and a chocolate‑artisan fair—starting in early September.

Mayor Lucia Ramos, who introduced the slogan during the council meeting, said the phrase underscores the economic and cultural importance of high‑quality cacao to the community’s development. The council also allocated $1.2 million from the municipal budget for infrastructure upgrades on the main trade routes that connect farms to processing facilities, and for a partnership with the national agricultural agency to certify local beans as “premium grade.” The campaign is expected to increase both domestic and export demand for the region’s cacao, reinforcing its role in the city’s growth strategy.